i'm not Japanese, but the slang has negative connotations from WWII days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Even law-abiding, patriotic Japanese American citizens who were born in the USA were sent to internment camps and treated like P.O.Ws. My ancestors were 2nd generation Americans who had to wear red ribbons signifying that they were Asian, but not Japanese.

I never see the term "Jap" used in the context of a positive sentence. I always see sentences like "I hate Jap designers, " or "Jap cars are cheap." When's the last time someone said "I know of a wonderful Jap restaurant?" Never, right? "Chink" or "Jap" doesn't sound as dignified as Brit or Aussie.

topics like this, while I know somepeople take things like this very seriously, tend to make me laugh. I couldn't care less what color you are or where you are from as long as you are good person. My family is of Italian descent and at family gatherings everyone laughs and reffers to each other as dego's.

Same here... espo is short for Esposito (and NO relation to the hockey player).

i'm not Japanese, but the slang has negative connotations from WWII days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Even law-abiding, patriotic Japanese American citizens who were born in the USA were sent to internment camps and treated like P.O.Ws. My ancestors were 2nd generation Americans who had to wear red ribbons signifying that they were Asian, but not Japanese.

I never see the term "Jap" used in the context of a positive sentence. I always see sentences like "I hate Jap designers, " or "Jap cars are cheap." When's the last time someone said "I know of a wonderful Jap restaurant?" Never, right? "Chink" or "Jap" doesn't sound as dignified as Brit or Aussie.

WELL said.
I'm not Japanese, but Chinese and I know what the Japan-Japanese did to the innocent people during their occupation of Korea and China for decades leading into and through WWII... and US's position to look the other way...and I'm not from Asia, but I do not use the word Jap or really like to hear when others refer to them as that but I keep it to myself. Hoever, in the same conversation I will say the word japanese every single time and see if the person 'catches' on.

The thought that comes to me personally is that the person is not as 'in tune' or knowledgeable. For example I no longer use 'hispanic' I use Spanish instead for almost 10yrs. In my life it's a small price to pay to say thankyou as a courtesy, and in much the same way, it's a small behavioral adjustment to speak of people the way some of them, even surely not all of them, prefer to be spoken of.

It is interesting however in my observation, the term 'whiteboy'. The most obvious observation comes through in sports these days, particularly basketball or on the public courts..

since the sport at the NBA level in USA is predominantly black, the white viewers / fans whatever, has the conscience to call the white players 'white guy' and 'white person' but never 'whiteboy'.

I smell hypocrisy if the same person that refrains so nicely from using 'whiteboy' still uses 'jap' when it comes to referring to a Japanese person.

And your point about the concentration camps. Would you believe that? I still don't and I'm not Japanese. Our own land of the free 'federal gov't' locking up it's own citizens born on this land, forced them to sell their homes in some cases, for losses not handsome govt. payouts even. Goes to show it's just narrowminded racist people in power running the country.

Imagine this being done to the muslim population after 9/11? When it would have been even more 'just' since the attackers took up residence in USA, vs. the Japanese Pearl Harbor attackers which came across a ocean and left afterwards? The Japanese Americans had zero to do with it. But this stuff is so hidden in American history while other things are given so much more light. That's why our Hollywood needs more Asians in the right places.

topics like this, while I know somepeople take things like this very seriously, tend to make me laugh. I couldn't care less what color you are or where you are from as long as you are good person. My family is of Italian descent and at family gatherings everyone laughs and reffers to each other as dego's.

well of course... does that say much? It's a 'family' gathering... not say, a mixture of purely random people.

I agree that we sometimes take life too seriously, but strongly agree with abc's comments. The Hollywood comment is true. We've come a long ways from depicting Chinese people with pigtails and as laundry workers. Still it would be nice to see fewer Long Duck Dongs in movies (e.g., Sixteen Candles). And what's up with Sandra Oh?! Not to be mean or hateful, but uh, I think there may be a few, shall we say more attractive Asians with talent. They don't all have to be TV news reporters.

Interesting topic. I am Puerto Rican and consider myself part of the Hispanic population. I find it curious when someone asks me if I am spanish because spanish is al anguage. The closest would be someone from Spain, and that would be a Spaniard. Actually, my ancestors come from Spain and Italy. There is no such thing as a native Puerto Rican since all the locals quickly died from European diseases. Anyways, sometimes you just can't win. The "politically correct" thing can get out of hand. I do agree that any term that can be outright offensive needs to be avoided. I think "jap" would be one of those.

Funny you guys bring up this topic. I tend not to use words that have to potential to offend people of different ethnic backgrounds even if the intentions are good. I think using words like "*****" are very pretentious and cause uncessary drama because you don't know how or who will take what. I dont' take deragatory racial epithets, or those of any kind personal, I'm secure enough to know who I am and what I'm about not to care. Secondly, I don't feel "bad" for the people who use these kinds of terms, because in todays world there really is no excuse for stupidity on any level. You can't make excuses for stupid people, if you do, well then you're stupid too.

Kind of off subject, but I think it's absolutely amazing(!!!) how many undercover racists are out there. I'm thinking of the time when Kobe was accused of raping the(at the time) 19(??) yr old hotel hostess. Sigining onto AOL, the story was one of the headlines on the homepage. There was a link that said "tell us what you think", once clicked, it was a bunch of threads, and every other thread had the word "N***ER" in the heading, absolutely amazed at the number of idiots out there. O well, stupid do as a stupid does.

usually found wearing:
-tiffanys bracelet
-baggy sweatpants (IN PUBLIC)
-big contruction socks
-birkenstock close toed shoes
-some article of juicy couture, lululemon, or tna
-loose, messy ponytail on the side of the head
-usually attends a private school

some are jewish but it is not a requirment
"I cant believe shed wear sweatpants to the party... what a jap"

"who wears socks with a miniskirt?"
"why a jap of course"

- high maintenence
- deny being japs
- commonly come from wealthy families
- don't have to be jewish
- not nessesarily an insult
- layer clothing
- commonly spoiled
- Normally of a higher intelligence then most, however some can be blithering idiots.
- Spend their summers at very expensive, jappy sleep-a-way camps where they feel the need to act like sluts and make other jappy friends.
- Use words such as omg, totally and like repeatedly
- Wear brands such as Juicy, Lululemon, Lacoste, Abercrombie, ugg, etc.
- Who belives that ones appearence is very important and is willing to do whatever it takes to look their best
- Likes to talk
- Low pain tolerance
- i got a lacoste shirt for $50
- Jap responce: "Oh, my, god, oh my god oh my god oh my god"

Well both are generally stingy and hate each other. So they stay out of each other's neighboor hoods. Jews are generally North/ North West Baltimore and Baltimore County where the Blacks are West and East Baltimore.

North Baltimore county (Park Height, Hunt Valley area) are where rich jews and everyone else lives. I pass Cal Ripkins house on the way to work every day. I go from North West Baltimore County to North Baltimore County.

Well both are generally stingy and hate each other. So they stay out of each other's neighboor hoods. Jews are generally North/ North West Baltimore and Baltimore County where the Blacks are West and East Baltimore.

North Baltimore county (Park Height, Hunt Valley area) are where rich jews and everyone else lives. I pass Cal Ripkins house on the way to work every day. I go from North West Baltimore County to North Baltimore County.

The rest of the city/county is pretty redneck.

Ahh, that's too bad. It's even worse over here... no one talks. Hence the reason why this is such a great place to live.

LoL, I was just watching the news(of course) and some supposedly "new" stat was released today that 30% of all men behind bars are "African American males" - let the sterotypes rage!!!! I love this country and our topics of interests. "Fear the black man, the scum of the earth, loathe him w/ all your heart, he is the enemy, the bottom of the barrel." This country, this world, is eating itself from the inside out. Luckily not everyone buys into this foolishness.